Arman Tsarukyan stated he would like Justin Gaethje to withdraw so he could fight Ilia Topuria and "kick him out of the UFC," calling it his personal goal. The lightweight contender declared he will only stop when he has a minimum of five UFC title defenses. Meanwhile, Merab Dvalishvili clarified he has no problems with Dagestani fighters except Umar Nurmagomedov, whom he simply dislikes, emphasizing that fighters from Armenia, Georgia, Chechnya, and Dagestan are hardworking and maintain friendly competition. In response to Tsarukyan, Topuria called the Armenian "incredibly stupid" and said he would break his jaw in the first round if they fight, dismissing him as irrelevant and claiming he spends his father's money rather than his own earnings. The post also mentioned that Benoit Saint-Denis announced a fight with Paddy Pimblett by posting roast beef (an English dish) on social media, and that Bogdan Guskov declined a fight with Baranyewski.
